SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN IN AN URBAN POPULATION OF NORTH EASTERN STATE

Hepatitis B is a major public health problem worldwide due to its chronic manifestations like chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The most complete data providing a picture of hepatitis B disease burden come from seroprevalence study. Over the last several decades researchers have conducted many studies in different parts of India, but information and studies are very limited in North Eastern zone. Keeping this in mind, this study was undertaken to look for prevalence of Hepatitis B virus in an urban population of southeast Assam. This community based study was conducted from September 2013 to August 2015. A total of 688 blood samples were collected from 21 municipal wards of Silchar town and all samples were subjected to ELISA for detecting Hepatitis B Surface Antigen. Out of 688 samples, only 20 (2.9%) were reactive, which is in accordance with Indian scenario.